Why Breasts Lose Volume

As many women come to realize, breasts are one of the more variable parts of the body when it comes to changes over time. Breast shape can change with aging, weight fluctuation, and pregnancy, and size can evolve as well. Breast augmentation helps Phoenix patients take control of their own destinies, so to speak, by giving them power over the changes to shape and size.

Although some women find their breasts grow over time, many patients find the opposite is true. There are many causes of volume reduction in breasts. One of the most common is weight loss. Since there is a fatty component to most women’s breasts, as weight is lost, the breast fat shrinks and breasts can appear smaller and droopier.

Pregnancy is another common cause of breast atrophy (shrinkage). With the hormonal changes that occur during and after pregnancy, breasts tend to grow dramatically and become engorged during breast feeding. Once this process is over, the breast tissue involutes (shrinks down), and the skin often looks looser due to the stretching / shrinking process.

Significant exercise has an impact on breast size as well. For very athletic patients, this comes from a combination of body fat loss as well as up-regulating of testosterone in certain patients (particularly body builders).

Finally, hormonal changes and reduction of estrogen and progesterone production associated with menopause and aging can have an unwanted effect on breast size and skin elasticity.

For patients dealing with any of these problems, surgery can be a solution. With any surgery, the goal is to create a more aesthetic, youthful and natural breast. For volume augmentation, I usually use implants although in certain cases fat grafting can be an excellent alternative. Skin tightening via a breast lift (mastopexy) is also frequently needed. For every patient I see with complaints of breast shrinkage and drooping, I have a lengthy visit with includes discussing options, taking measurements, and planning breast lift techniques. With the proper procedure, a woman’s breasts can be returned to a perky, youthful shape that can restore her sense of wellbeing and femininity — once the new implants have ample opportunity to settle into their final positions.

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Dr. Cohen is a board-certified plastic surgeon with years of experience performing procedures to enhance the appearance of men and women from throughout Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona as well as the rest of the county. He is widely published and has presented research at global conferences.